


Masks Chapter One

by MermaidNH



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Episode: s07e08 Hearts Still Beating, F/M, Rescue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:14:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24244108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MermaidNH/pseuds/MermaidNH
Summary: This is my first attempt at Fanfiction. The first few Chapters will read as deleted scenes from The Walking Dead Season Seven Episode Eight and include an original Female character named Nimue.
Relationships: Daryl Dixon/Jesus, Daryl Dixon/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	Masks Chapter One

Masks 

Chapter One 

(takes place during Hearts Still Beating)

Nimue heard the rumble of the motorcycle and thought she was dreaming again. She was certain she’d never hear it again. But when the door to her clinic burst open moments later she knew it was parked outside. She looked up into Jesus’ blue eyes and saw Daryl standing behind him. 

Jesus spoke as Daryl seemed to be on the verge of fainting. “I got him out of the Sanctuary but he’s hurt or in shock or something.”  
Nimue was beyond hearing Jesus at that point the only things that seemed to register were the words Sanctuary and hurt. She tried to assess Daryl’s condition just by looking at him, but she couldn’t tell much. He didn’t appear to have any wounds that were immediately life threatening but he needed to be examined to be sure. She waved them into a nearby room and closed the door behind them. She quickly pulled down the shades over the windows causing the room to darken a bit but it was early afternoon so she didn’t need the light she did it to offer Daryl some privacy. When she turned around Jesus was standing by the door and Daryl was sitting on the exam table but his head was bent down like a beaten dog. 

She knelt in front of him looking into his blue eyes so he wouldn’t have to pick his head up. “Daryl, I’m Nimue. Do you remember me?” In response Daryl barely nodded his head. Frightened at him being so silent she had the horrifying thought what if they had cut out his tongue while he was there? “Daryl, open your mouth for me, please” She said as gently as she could be trying not to scare or shame him. He silently complied and she was relieved to see his tongue was there and his teeth weren’t broken or chipped and nothing was blocking his airway. His lips were swollen and there were drops of blood coming from a very small cut on his bottom lip. “Very good you can go ahead and close it now.” He did and she continued “I’m going to do an assessment and an intake exam so we can get you settled. I’ll be as quick and gentle as I can.” Rising to stand near him she took stock of him. He was filthy and dressed in a plaid shirt which had blood splatter on it and was unbuttoned revealing a T-shirt underneath. 

Jesus interjected “It’s not his blood or walker blood he had to kill a guard right before we escaped.” Nimue had almost forgotten Jesus was there. 

Nimue nodded then tried to gently place a hand on his right shoulder. 

Daryl nearly jumped off the table at the contact. “Shot…. Still…Sore” Daryl managed to choke out. 

“Okay, Daryl, I need to see the wound. Can I take the plaid shirt off?” He nodded his consent but made no attempt to assist her. When she went to remove the T-shirt however Daryl seemed to balk. He crossed his arms near his waist in a futile attempt to keep his T-shirt down and on. “What’s the matter? Would you prefer a male, examine you?”

Daryl shook his head for an answer but otherwise stayed silent seeming to focus all his meager strength on keeping his T-shirt on. “Don’t look…...my back.” Daryl said getting really agitated. 

Nimue turned to Jesus and suggested “You’d better go.” 

Jesus nodded to Nimue and turning toward Daryl he said “I’ll be nearby if you need me. Feel better, Daryl.” He closed the door behind him. 

“It’s okay, Daryl. I’m a medic. I’ve seen it all. You don’t have to be ashamed or embarrassed. I just want to do this quickly so I can make you comfortable. Please let me.”  
As an answer, he let his arms drop to the sides. She quickly removed it mindful of his right shoulder. She then removed the gauze pads one on his chest and the other on his back. She checked the drains inserted near his stitches on either side and tried not to react to seeing his back for the first time. It was covered in old scars she guessed from his childhood specifically childhood abuse. Her heart broke for what he must have suffered as a child and it broke again for his more recent indignities. 

“I’m going to need to clean you up as I examine you. This may take a bit more time but you’ll feel so much better when it’s done.” Nimue went across the room to get some supplies and Daryl watched her in silence. She poured some water into a small basin and he watched her add some liquid soap to it. Whatever the soap was it smelled amazing. He couldn’t remember the last time he smelled something so good. She came back to his side with the soapy water another basin of water as well as enough towels and washcloths for a small army. He also noticed a folded hospital gown. 

“Your face is going to get cleaned up first.” She dipped a washcloth into the plain water and dabbed gently at his face mindful of the black eye on his left side and the dried blood coming out of his nostril. When she was satisfied that his face was cleaned up she started on his hair. Once it had been shampooed and conditioned to her liking, she sat him up and started washing his chest avoiding his stitches and trying not to put pressure on his ribs. She also had to check him for bite marks of course but thankfully there were none so she repeated the procedure on his back. It was hard to ignore the vicious tracery of scars among some impressive tattoos but she mainly focused on getting him clean quickly and avoiding his other stitches on his back. She put two fresh gauze pads on his stitches and then unfolded the gown and held it up to him. 

“I’m going to put this on you. I know nobody likes these things but I think you’ll need an IV line and this way you can change without disturbing it. Also, you’ll be kept warm for the rest of your bath.” He continued to be silent and didn’t even nod so Nimue taking his silence as a good sign this time she slid his arms into the sleeves and went around to his back to tie it closed. 

“Hard part is coming I know. Just lie back on the table and breathe for me okay. I’ll make it quick.” His answer was to lie back but he said nothing in response and stopped moving once he was on his back. “I’m so sorry about this.” Nimue lifted the hem of his gown and tried to quickly yet gently remove everything underneath it. She forgot he had boots on still and removed those too along with his socks and tried to keep his clothes together in a pile on the floor. Feeling like Daryl would be more humiliated and grow weaker the longer she took she washed his legs and feet in record time always checking for bites and scratches too. 

“Daryl, can you lay on your left side for me? We’re almost done” He turned and instinctively curled up in an almost fetal like position.She went over to his backside and cleaned his bum area looking for bites and scratches and more regrettable any signs of an intimate assault by his captors. She found none. So, she asked him to lift his leg a little so she could clean his most intimate area and finish up. She put slipper socks on his feet the bright colored striped kind with the grippers on the bottom so he wouldn’t slip if we walked anywhere not that she was going to let him go anywhere not tonight anyway. Last, she grabbed up an item she was loath to name it for what it was even to herself. She slid on one of the fancy adult uh things that’s designed to look like underwear except that it isn’t. She hoped in his weakened state Daryl wouldn’t notice the switch. She didn’t want him to worry about needing a bathroom or to be humiliated if he had an accident.

When she was finished, he was curled up in a fetal position unwilling or unable to move.  
“Rest now, Daryl. I’m going to let you catch your breath for a few minutes but I’ll be right back.” 

Going out into the hall she ran right into Jesus. “How is he?” Jesus asked.

“Better than I expected. I gave him a sponge bath as I examined him. He doesn’t have any bites or scratches. His gunshot wounds look like they were treated and show no signs of infection. No signs of …” She couldn’t look Jesus in the eye as she continued “an intimate type of assault.” 

Jesus nodded and seemed relieved.

“I need to move him from the exam room to a patient room in the back. Would you mind staying with him while I get the room ready? He’s probably already sleeping.” 

As an answer, Jesus moved toward the door and silently crept in. 

When Nimue returned to the exam room she had a wheelchair with her. Daryl was sleeping, still in the fetal position and Jesus was keeping watch. She gently woke Daryl up so he could get into the wheelchair and he was brought back to the room. He was wide awake and when he got there and climbed from the chair to the bed easy enough. Nimue adjusted the covers over him and walked Jesus to the door. 

She whispered to Jesus “Can you find some clothes for him? Anything along the lines of pajamas or sweats will do. He won’t be out of bed much for the next few days but I don’t want to leave him in the gown.” 

Jesus nodded and called to Daryl “I’ll be back in a little while. Try to get some rest.”  
Daryl nodded but he was silent otherwise. 

Once Jesus left Nimue brought over a tray of food. “Just a couple of bites and a couple sips that’s all I ask but if you want or need more that’s fine too.” Daryl devoured the dish of scrambled eggs and drank what he thought was juice but Nimue corrected him telling him it was an electrolyte beverage. He finished everything and seeming content he started to stretch out gingerly on his back in his new bed. 

Nimue went over to his left side and apologized again before inserting his IV line. She explained it was in case he was dehydrated and to help him get pain medication. She started a drip and he nodded off. She hoped he was finally feeling safe but with the Saviors no doubt looking for him she wondered if that were even possible.


End file.
